Automobile.



No. 849,146. PATENTED APR 2, 1907.

J. LEDWINKA.

AUTOMOBILE.

' A PPL IOATION FILED JULY 10. 1906.

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.No. 849,146. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

- J. LEDWINKA.

AUTOMOBILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1906.

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No. 849,146, PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

' J. LEDWINKA. AUTOMOBILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. 1906.

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FIG. JIZ

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' and wheels.

vtical axes in the vehicle-frame.

predetermined position with respect to the nrrrrnn srarns PATIENT err-ion JOSEPH LEDWINKA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE IMPERIAL ELECTRIC MOTOR OOMPAN Y, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

auromosue.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed July 10,1906. Serial No. 325,458.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH LE'DWINKA, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Aucation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My improvement is particularly applicable to electrically-propelled automobiles of the type wherein the motors are respectively local to the vehicle-supporting wheels and arranged to turn with the latter on ver- .My improvement relates particularly to the underframes of such vehicles, and it is an object thereof to provide means tending to maintain the vehicle-supporting wheels in frame, but capable of yielding horizontally to a limited extent, sufiicient to minimize the shock of encounter of said wheels with irregularities of the surface traversed by the vehicle. As hereinafter described, such means includes ouder-rods respectively local to the individual wheels, and each comprismg members which are relatively movable in springs tending to maintain said relatively movable members in a predetermined relation but capable of yielding, so that the eii'ective length of said rods is reduced or extended in correspondence with the. stress upon the wheels with which they are connected. 1 My invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified, in-- cluding axle-frames of peculiar construction adapted to cooperate with said rods.

' with the steering-wheel 4-7 In said drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of a vehicle conveniently embodying my improvements. Fig. II is a fragmentary plan view of the underframe of said vehicle, I showing the arrangement of the buffer-rods Fig. III is a front elevation of said underframe. Fi IV is a rear elevation l of said underframe. i V is a longitudinal sectional view of one of File spring bufier-rods shown in Figs. I and II.

Referring to Figs. I and II, the body-frame comprises the rectangular platform 1, the vertical hanger-frames 2, and brace-rods 3,

which are inrigid relation. The underframe comprises the front and rear axle-frames 5 and 6, connected with said body-frame 1 by the springs 7 and 8 and by the spring bufferrods 10 and 11, which are arranged in pairs, respectively, local to the front wheels 13 and rear wheels 14. Said wheels 13 and 14 are respectively connected with said front and rear axle-frames 5 and 6 by vertical trunnions 16, which are in rigid relation with the respective motor-casings 18 and 19, supported in bearings 20 and 21 in their respective axle-frames. The casings 19 are rigidly secured to the axle-frame 6 by the bolted connections 24. However, the front wheels 13 are free to turn upon their trunnions 16 and are respectively connected'by the links 26 with the arm 27 of the bell-crank lever comprising the vertical shaft 28 and arm 29, said shaft being mounted in the bearing 30 in said.

axle-frame 5. As shown in Fig. III, said lever-arm 29-is provided with the ball end 32, which is connected by thelink 34 with the bell-crank lever 35, pivoted at 36 beneath the chaufieurs seat 37. Said lever is connected by the link 38 with the lever 40, pivoted at 41 beneath said seat 37 and provided at its opposite end with the nut 43, engaged by the vertical screw-shaft 1 1, which is mounted in' the standard 46 and provided It is to be understood that the arrangement last described is such that saidwheels 13 may be turned upon their vertical trunnions 16 in either di rection in accordance with the direction of rotation of said wheel 47, the connections being such that when said wheel 17 is turned to the right or left the wheels 13 are turned to the right or left. Each of said wheels 14 is provided with a band-brake comprising two semi-annular members 50, pivoted at 51 upon the local motor-casing 19 and pivotally connected at their opposite ends upon eccentrio-pins 52, carried by a lever 53. The two levers 53 of the pair of wheels 14 are trans versely connected by the yoke 55, and the latter is connected by the link 56 with the lever-arm 57, whose shaft 58 is mounted in the bearing 59 on the front hanger-frame 2. Said shaft 58 is also provided with the leverarm 61, which is connected by the link 62 with the bell-crank lever 63, pivoted at 64-011 105 the frame 1. Said lever 63 is connected by the sectoral ratchet 7 '2.

It is to be understood that the brake mech- E anism above described is so constructed'and arranged that the brakes may; be appliedwith any desired: degree of pressure by manipulation of the lever 66 to set it in adjusted. position on saidratchet 7 2,

Fig; V is a plan sectionalview taken longitudinally with respect to the lower one of the .spring buiier-rods 1 1, (shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1,) and shows the construction which is common to all of the spring bufferrods. 'Eachrod is provided with ballends 74 and 75, respectively, in rigid relation with the relatively movable members 76 and 77, the latter being arranged to reciprocate within the former and provided at its inner end with a case 78 for the springs 80 and 81. Said springs abut against saidmember 76 at their. outer ends and hold-between their inner ends the. collar"82, which-is in rigid relation with the rod ,member 77 that the I arrangement are lengthened 'or tothe buffer-rods 10.

' tion in Fig. V, com ing-ring 89 and dis s ring buffer-rods 11.

It is to'be understood last described is such that said springs 80 and 81, being normally compressed in. opposition to each. other, tend to'maintain the s ring buffer-rods of predetermined invariab e length, but that said rods shortened automatically in correspondence .with any abnormal stress upon them which compresses one of said. springs and permits the other-to expand.

As shown in Fig. IV, the axle-frame 6 is provided with four ball-socket bearings 84, which are fit'ted'to the ball ends 74 of the As shown in Fig. III, t e axle-frame 5-is similarly provided with four ball-socket bearings 86, which are fitted corresponding ball-ends of the spring The rear hanger-frame 2 is providedwith 'fourball-socket bearings 88,-fitted to the ball ends 75 of the spring bufier-rods 1].. One of sa'idbearings 88 is shown in horizontal secrising the opposed bear- :90, fitted'to the socket 91-inthe frame 6. Said disk 90 is adjustable in screw-threaded engagement with said socket, and accidental displacement thereof.

- is prevented by the disk 92, which is also in screw-threaded engagement with said socket. The front hanger-frame 2 is also provided with four ball-socket bearings 94, which are like the bearings 88 above described and. fitted to the corresponding ball ends of the spring buffer-rods 10. that thearrangement of said buffer-rods l0 and 11 is-such that although the axle-frames 5 and .6are normally maintained in predetermined parallel relation whenever the wheels 13 and 14 encounter an obstruction they may It is to be understood vyieldhorizontally to a limited extent, carrying with them the respective axle-frames, bel ing, however,

mined parallel relation by the springs 80and g 81 immediately upon release from the abnormal stress. L

In the type of vehicle which I have chosen for illustration themotors in the casings 18 g and 19 are electrical and arranged to be energized'by the storage battery 95, conveniently supportedbetween the hanger-frames 2 .on l the hanger 96, having bearings 97 at its opj posite ends arranged to reciprocate on the 5 bolts 98, but normally maintained in central l position thereon by the springs 99. Said motors are arranged to be electrically con-'' restored to their predeter- I proved frame in connection with an electrically-propelled vehicle, and it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the details of construction of the vehicle without departing from the essential featuresv of my invention.

I clailnf I 1. In a vehicle, the combination with axleframesprovided with supporting-wheels; of a bodyframe,"springs independently connectf ing said axle-frame withsaid body-frame; spring buffer-rods connecting said axle-frame with said body-frame, each comprising relatively movable members; and, springs tending to maintain said rods of a predetermined length, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with a body-frame; of axle-frames provided with ing said body-frame and axle-frames, comprising spring butler-rods, each comprising tending to maintain said members in predetermined relation, substantially as set forth. 3. In a vehicle, the combination with a horizontal body frame, carrying vertical hanger-frames; of vertical axle-frames provided with supporting-wheels," and, a pair of spring buffer-rods local to each wheel, connecting .its axle-frame with one of saidhanger-frames, respectively above and below the wheel-axis, substantially as set forth. 4. In a vehicle, a spring buffer-rod rovided with'ball ends respectively in rigi relation with members ofthe rod which are mounted to reciprocate one within the other; a collar on the inner rod member; and, springs compressed in opposition on opposite sides of said collar, in engagement with abutments in the outer rod, substantially as set forth.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with a body-frame provided with ball-sockets of an supporting-wheels means resiliently connect- 7 relativelyreciprocatorymembers and, means i axle-frame provided with ball-sockets; rods In testimony whereof I have hereunto provided With ball ends respectively engaged K signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- With said body-frame and said axle-frame; Vania, this 5th day of July, 1906. each of said rods comprising axially-aimed re- 1 JOSEPH LEDWINKA.

5 latively reoiprocatory members; and, springs \Vitnesses:

tending to maintain said rod members in pre- D. BRITTON CHAMBERS,

determined relatiomsubstantiaily as set forth. CHARLES BERG. 

